Have extra carrot greens laying around? You can dye fiber with them! Just cut them up, throw them in some simmering water for a few hours, strain, and then submerge your fabric or yarn! A lovely mellow yellow should be your result on cotton or linen, though you make get more saturated shades on animal fibers. #naturaldye #naturaldyeing #carrottopdye
What an incredible weekend of workshops! I taught Intro to Pine Needle Baskets on Saturday and a Mother’s Day Branch Weaving class on Sunday. Today, on Monday, my heart is full and I am INSPIRED. Sharing this knowledge lights me up and I’m so grateful to sit with all these makers and see what our hands, hearts, and mind come up with. New classes are always being added. Check out allieolson.com to see the current lineup!
Looking for a sweet, crafty workshop this weekend? Come weave with us at the Lyons Farmette on Sunday (Mother’s Day) from 1-5pm.
•••••
You'll walk away with a small piece of sculpture, inspired by nature. All supplies and tools will be provided, including branches, thread, and yarn. Ages 10 and up welcome!
Sign up at /workshops-and-events
I sewed the Allie Olson Patterns Ponderosa Pants—named after the ponderosa pine, which also happens to be my favorite tree! 🌲
I was so excited when Allie released this pattern and wanted to lean fully into its inspiration. I chose fabrics that remind me of the colors and textures of a ponderosa and used techniques that, as the pattern describes, “feel like slow days walking pine forest paths.”
I am so pleased with how they turned out and highly recommend this pattern to any sewist!
If you’d like to make your own pair, you can find the pattern on Allie’s website:
👉 /products/ponderosa-pants
Use code PAIGEONPURPOSE for 20% off
Thank you @allieolson.patterns for this lovely project!
So, did I pull it off? Do these Ponderosa Pants look like ponderosa pants? Let me know what you think!
#sewing #memade #slowfashion #handmadewardrobe #sewist #sewingproject #allieolson #aoponderosa #ponderosapine #natureinspired #slowsewing
My newest pattern is proving to be a foundational piece of my everyday wardrobe! I didn’t realize I could love a pair of pants this much. Get the Ponderosa Pants sewing pattern at allieolson.com. #aoponderosa
Today (March 31st) is the last day to use my exclusive coupon code at @iseefabric ! They’ve restocked this linen/rayon blend pinstripe fabric that was perfect for the Ponderosa Pants! Visit iseefabric.com and use code Allie15 at checkout.
My next pine needle basketry workshop is hosted by the @lyonsfarmette ! Join us April 4th from 1-5pm and learn how to make a sweet little basket using Ponderosa pine needles. You’ll receive a take-home kit to make another at home. Check out the Lyons Farmette’s event page to sign up! Space is limited.
Welcome to the family, Ponderosa Pants. A design that has been years in the making is finally born. Get all the details and the pattern on sale at allieolson.com. #aoponderosa
Join us for a half day exploring tapestry weaving!
Offered for the total beginner, in this class you will create a small tapestry weaving using a branch as the framework. We’ll cover all the steps for creating your weaving start to finish: warping the branch, the basic weaving process, switching yarns, incorporating designs, and finishing the weaving. You’ll walk away with a small piece of textile and sculpture, inspired by nature!
This class is an excellent introduction to weaving, and provides a foundation of skills for loom weaving of any kind. Tapestry weaving is a great way to begin weaving, as it requires few no specialized tools.
Teacher: Allie Olson.
Date: March 14, 1-5pm
Location: Boulder, Colorado
We’re excited to be offering new classes in pine needle basketry!
In these classes, you’ll learn the foundations of coil basketry techniques used to make pine needle baskets. Unlike woven baskets, coil baskets use thread or plant material so sew baskets together with techniques that are somewhat like coil pottery. Through the half day workshops, you will learn to prepare pine needles for weaving, create the initial spiral around a wooden center, build the walls of the basket, and finish the border of your basket. The advanced class will cover harder techniques used to make basket lids with a snug fit. Allie will also teach the basics of pine needle foraging so you can leave with the skills to select and harvest wild materials and continue creating your own pine needle baskets. Using local pine needles to make baskets is a hands-on way to build a deeper relationship with our local ecosystems.
• Intro to Pine Needle Basketry, March 7 in Boulder, CO
• Intro to Pine Needle Basketry, April 12 in Longmont, CO
• Intro to Pine Needle Basketry, May 9 in Boulder, CO
• Advanced Pine Needle Basketry, May 16 in Boulder, CO
Our classes will be taught by @allieolson.patterns — we’re excited to have her as our newest instructor for our folk school classes! Allie is also teaching a tapestry weaving class on March 14 using forked branches as natural looms.
More info & registration:
/basketry
New branch weaving I made this weekend. This is such a fun way to create with nature’s bounty. This is a class I’ll be teaching in the Boulder area this spring! Perfect for total beginners.
I sewed a white sweatsuit last week and romped around in the woods a bit with my dog. Don’t worry, this little diddy didn’t heal all my deepest wounds, but it’s cute. And cute is, in some way, related to feeling good in my soul.
Anyway, I made you a tutorial for adding a zipper shield to the Hive Pullover, which is the top you see here. It’s on the blog at allieolson.com. The pants are top-secret, in testing, and might just be my next pattern. The vest is a no-name thrifted number.
#hivepullover
